»
Courtyard Houses

This process of progressively filling in a courtyard, which we might call the 'insula process,' coincides with the transition into multi-family residences of the earlier domus.13 The C1-2-3 series (Figure 1.4) describes this process it begins at a side of the courtyard with a row of cells that doubles in height served by a balcony. The stairwell is strategically located in the portico of the original cell by doubling the row on the side opposite, a single stairwell can efficiently serve another...

Courtyard housing is one of the oldest forms of domestic development spanning at least 5,000 years and occurring in distinctive form in many regions of the world. Traditionally associated with the Middle East where climate and culture have given shape to a particular type of courtyard housing, other examples exist in Latin America, China and in Europe where the model has been reinterpreted. The book has four themes history and theory of courtyard housing climatic and environmental factors...

The idea of courtyards as a plan configuration goes back thousands of years to Neolithic settlements. In the beginning, the logic behind this type plan was mainly to provide a protective area from outside forces, such as invasion by human and wild animals. Over time, it has developed into a solid, logical configuration that maximises the built-up area in the urban context and allows controlled sunlight, especially in regions where it is abundant. The courtyard as a house plan type exists...